REVIEW: children's music (long!)

[Peter W Chen]

Over the past several months, I listened to dozens of cassettes and CDs of
children's music in putting together a few tapes for my 4-year-old
daughter. Below is a summary of what I found; I'm omitting story-oriented
albums, such as "Pecos Bill" or the various Windham Hill releases, and current
commercial hits like 'Sebastian'. Also omitted are lullabies; perhaps I'll
write a separate review for those at some other time.

These are ordered by my ratings (0 to 5 *'s). I try to base the rating
on what would appeal to children (I often use Iris, who has the quickest
eject button in the Midwest, as a guide), so some selections which may be very
fine for adults got low marks. For example, Ella Jenkins has a very
elegant style, but it's a little too restrained for 4 year-olds, IMHO. Also,
I probably would change some of these ratings if I had the time to listen
to the recordings more than once. For example, upon a relisten, I moved
the Sesame Street Alphabet Album from * to ***. So, please don't be offended
if you see your favorite artists rated low - I was probably in a saturation
mode when I listened to them!

Peter Chen
pw...@ihspa.att.com

*****
Sharon, Lois & Bram: One Elephant, Deux Elephants, etc (10 albums so far).
Fine Canadian folk group who sing songs for kids of all ages.
They also have an 'Elephant Show' on the Nickelodeon channel and some
videos. Excellent, extensive liner notes on the older LP releases.
****
Disney Children's Favorites, Vols 1-4
Sung by Larry Croce (host of the NPR radio show Mountain Stage),
with the best children's chorus around.
Mike & Michelle Jackson: Car-Tunes
Aussie duo with SL&B and Travellers (see below) as guests.
The Hubbards: Olde Mother Goose
Traditional instruments at their best.

***
Kathi Milenko & Nancy Rumbel: Good Morning, Good Night
Elegant compositions set to English poems; Parents' Choice award.
Pete Seeger: Children's Concert at Town Hall
A rousing good time as only Pete can provide.
Catherine Slonecki: Children's Songs Around the World
An Educational Activities global trip; check out the educational video.
Jack Capon & Rosemary Hallum: Children's All-Time Rhythm Favorites, etc.
A series from Educational Activities for dancing and games.
Kindermusik: Music and My World (subliminal rhythm lessons)
Josh Greenburg: Rhythm and Rhymes (jazzy nursery songs)
Nancy Cassidy: Kids Songs Jubilee (good energy)
Random House: Sing with Me Animal Songs (it's a zoo...)
Classical Kids: Beethoven Lives Upstairs (ALA Notable; lame story, great music)
Kim and Jerry Brodey: Simple Magic (a few interesting selections)
Sesame Street: Alphabet Album (gee, learning can be fun!)
The Travellers: Merry-Go-Round (more Canadian fun)

**
Joanie Bartels: Travelin' Magic, etc. (a few decent songs, but why the
instrumentals-only side?)
Mike & Michelle Jackson: Playmates (Aussie duo by themselves. You'd be tired
of Kookaburras by the end of this.)
Distribution Madacy: Going to the Zoo (Vol 1 of at least 19 in its
Kiddie Collection series.)
Pam Beall & Susan Nipp: Wee Sing Fun'N'Folk, etc. (why do the kids sing in such
hushed tones? The King Cole's Party video is quite excellent, though.)
Peter Pan Industries: Sing Along (songs sung in a nonstop roller coaster;
kids are good; adults gruesome.)
Hap Palmer: Babysong (ALA Notable Recording, also a video)
Cyril Ritchard, Celeste Holme & Boris Karloff: Mother Goose (pretty decent)
Cathy Fink: Grandma Slid Down the Mountain (a few good country yodels)
Marcy Marxer: Jump Children (folky fun)
Classical Kids: Mr. Bach Comes to Call (ALA Notable; Parent's Choice Award)
Howard Hangar Jazz Fantasy: For Kids Only 2 (syncopated fun)
Ralph Emery & Shotgun Red: Songs for Children (countrified fun)
Metacom: Let's Sing Campfire Songs (campy fun)
Robin and Linda Williams: Down in the Valley (bluegrass style)
Phylicia Rashad: (Baby Nursery Rhymes (soulful sounds; hate those fadeouts)
Jay Ungar & Lyn Hardy: A Place To Be (mostly Malvina Reynolds)
Ella Jenkins: Jambo & Other Call and Response Songs and Chants (Ella with kids)
Tickle Tune Typhoon: Circle Around (weird boogie music; some might like it)
Linda Arnold: Make Believe (she's host of Pickleberry Pie; a few bright moments)
Maria Muldaur: On the Sunny Side ("golden hit ballads")
Music for Little People: Quackity Yakity Bop (lively tunes)
Music for Little People: Peace is the World Smiling (peacenik songs)
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek & Mona Goldman Zakheim: Kamotion Around the World (more peace)
Deborah Dunleavy: Jibbery Jive (snappy tunes)
Peter Pan Industries: Songs for a Rainy Day (some funky tunes)
Bill Wellington: Radio WOOF (radio magic)
Janet & Judy: Musical Almanac (mildly pleasant journey - check out the rap)
Paul Strausman: The World's Big Family (a few nice selections for older kids)
Danny Kaye: For Children (funny White Duck)
Eric Nagler: Come On In! (SL&B sidekick goes solo)
Tom Paxton: Peanut Butter Pie (a few fun pieces)
Chris & Ken Whiteley: Junior Jug Band! (banjo fun)
The Four Tots: The Four Tots (Motown does kids)
Lois LaFond: One World (Afro-pop does kids)
Dave Kinnoin: Daring Dewey (Parents' Choice award, surrealistic beats)
Joe Scruggs: Deep in the Jungle (Parents' Choice award, rambling ballads)
Ageless Music: Children's Songs of the Midnight Sun (a few creative pieces)
Esther Nelson: The Fun-to-Sing Songbook (so weird)
Esther Nelson & Bruce Haack: The Way-Out Cassette for Children (sound effects)
The Sing-A-Long Kids Chorus: Sunday Sing-A-Long (Christian songs)
Disney: The Disney Collection (songs from movies, tv, theme parks)
Irish Brigade: Leprechauns and Unicorns (Irish songs)
Educational Activities: Around the World in Dance (champaign music for tots)
Judy Collins: Baby's Morningtime (Emily Dickinson? Gertrude Stein?)
Mitzie Collins: Sounds Like Fun (wacky lyrics)
Georgiana Stewart: Preschool Favorites (hop, hop, hop!)
The Jinglehimers: Children's Favorites (silly tunes)
Youngheart: We All Live Together (some offbeat numbers)
LaserLight: The Magic of Beatrix Potter, Vols 1-3 (nicely done)
LaserLight: The Real Mother Goose, Vols 1-3 (more CD magic)
Special Music Company: 101 Favorite Children's Songs, Vols 1-3 (Vol 1 is good)
Sound Sensation: 50 Nursery Songs and Rhymes (very uneven)
Raffi: Singable Songs for Children (why does he sell so many albums?)

*
Mike & Peggy Seeger: American Folk Songs for Children (their mother's book
was a "classic", but the albums are pretty bland)
Pete Seeger: American Game and Activity Songs for Children (a Folkways release)
Pete Seeger: Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Little Fishes (ditto)
Ella Jenkins: You'll Sing a Song and I'll Sing a Song (YAFR)
Seeger, McCutcheon, Watson, Mahal, etc.: Family Folk Festival (a mixed bag)
McCutcheon, Fink, Rosenthal, etc.: Grandma's Patchwork Quilt (a grab bag)
Joe Wise: Doodle Bee Doo (what exactly is bee doo?)
Peter Alsop: Take Me with You! (no thanks)
Tom Paxton: Balloon-Alloon-Alloon (painful)
Tom Chapin: Family Tree (another folky album)
Esther Nelson: Everybody Sing & Dance (blah blah...)
Fred Penner: Collections (another Nickelodeon artist)
Burl Ives: The Best of Burl's for Boys and Girls (not too hot)
Burl Ives: Sings Little White Duck (another disappointment)
Taj Mahal: Shake Sugaree (can't sing along to his raspy voice)
Oscar Brand: I Sing You Sing We All Sing! (too much talking, bland singing)
Malvina Reynolds: Artichokes and Griddle Cakes (harsh sounds)
Fran Avni: Artichokes and Brussel Sprouts (too cute)
Doc Watson: Sings Songs for Little Pickers (1990 NAIRD winner)
Marlo Thomas & Friends: Free to be You and Me ("anti-sexist" material)
Sally Rogers: Piggyback PLanet (1990 NAIRD runnerup)
Sally Rogers: Peace by Peace (more peacenik)
Red Grammer: Teaching Peace (more noble messages)
Sarah Pirtle: Two Hands Hold the Earth (songs for earth)
Earthbeat!: Beyond Boundaries ("world music sampler", hard to digest)
Timmy Abell: The Farmer's Market (no brainer)
Phil Rosenthal: Chickens in the Garden (nothing to crow about)
John Langstaff: Songs for Singing Children (folk-oriented)
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer: Help Yourself! (more Canadian folk)
Susanne Paris: Dragonfly (country/folk style)
Miss Molly & Joey Lawrence: Two Left Feet (she hosts Romper Room)
Bessie Jones: Step It Down (gospel flavored)
Tom Glazer: Let's Sing Fingerplays (more talking)
Educational Activities: Simplified Folk Songs (even more talking)
Educational Activities: Folk Song Carnival (tepid)
Georgiana Stewart: Children of the World (dreary)
Heather Bishop: Purple People Eater (?)
Pennie Sempell: The Best Things in Life Are Free (painful soprano)
Lisa Marie Nelson: You Are My Shining Star ("positive music")
Rosenshontz: Family Vacation (awful)
Barry Louis Polisar: Songs for Well Behaved Children (pretentious)
Hap Palmer: The Feel of Music (just get his Babysong if you must)
Jonathan Edwards: Little Hands (unremarkable)
Bob McGrath: Sing Along with Bob (he's a Sesame Street alumnus)
Gemini: Growing Up Together! (humdrum)
Carol Channing: Kidding Around (funny limericks)
Anne Murray: There's a Hippo in My Tub (more oldies)
Olivia Newton-John: Warm and Tender (insufferable)
Laura Simms: There's a Horse in My Pocket (weary)
Nancy Raven: Hop, Skip and Sing (sleepy)
Saxton & Cross: Steppin' to the Music (forgettable)
David Jack: Dance in Your Pants (at least it's got a beat)
Kimbo Educational: Toddlers on Parade (not even a beat)
Kimbo Educational: The Singing Calendar (uninspired)
Kimbo Educational: Preschool Action Time (another loser)
Wonderland Records: Kindergarten Playtime Songs (YAL)
Sing Children Sing: Songs of France, etc. (starchy, "for UNICEF")
Running Press: Family Car Songbook (instrumentals only)
Larry Benson/Harell Lucky: The Hokey Pokey (interminable hokey pokey)
Willie Sterba: Chickens in my Hair (limpid)
Dennis Buck: Car Songs (flat)
Rick Charette: Bubble Gum (glum)
Sally Blackburn & David WHite: Singing Games (woeful)
Vitamin L: Walk A Mile (tired)
Faith Petric: Sing a Song, Sing Along (sings to herself)
Lucienne Vernay: Songs in French for Children (asleep)
Charlotte Diamond: 10 Carrot Diamond (French, Spanish, German, - Cantonese?!?)
Bill Hooper: Active Music for Children (bad)
Jim Valley: Imagine That! (muzak for kids)
Cindy the Songlady: Dino Soarin' (so-so compositions)
Jory Aronson: Fruit Salad (more mediocre compositions)
Andrea Loftus & Mary Breckman: Singamajig (more moms singing for their kids)
Fred Koch: This L'il Cow (more so-so songs)
Tia: Tia's O'La de Dahddy (Parents' Choice award, "recycle rap"? ugh!)
Troubadour: Are We Almost There? (Parents' Choice award)
Lisa Monet: Circle Time (Parents' Choice award)
Robin Goodrow and Micheal Goodrow: Amazing! (Emmy award)
Disney: Minnie'n Me (a cool dudette is she)
Disney: For Our Children (AIDS benefit album with pop stars)
Sesame Street: In Harmony (more pop stars)
Mindy Manley Little: The Alphabet Operetta (the fat lady has sung)

0
Arlo Guthrie: Baby's Storytime (bored readings)
Francine Lancaster: Mother Goose & Other Nursery Songs (too formal)
Camerata & Cree Summer Francks: Musical Chairs (lame intro to classical music)
Disney: Children's Favorite Silly Songs (for fools only)
Patty Zeitlin & Marcia Berman: Spin, Spider, Spin (ho-hum)
Sandra Beech: Sidewalk Shuffle (boring)
Kimbo: Monsters and Monstrous Things (who needs rock n roll at this age?)
Atomic Fireballs: Kids Go Crazy (more rocky horror)
Maria Bostick: There's a Dinosaur in my Bed (huh?)
Barry Louis Polisar: The Barry Louis Polisar Songbook (beyond bad)
Peanutbutter Jam: Simply Singable (beyond awful)
Stephen Fite: Under the Big Top (timid circus music)
Adele Abrahamse: Good Morning To You (terrible)